My Christmas Wish?
by The Queen of Double Standards
Summary: Dear Cul, For me, that's simple. What I want is you. Love, Iroha. Dear Iroha, After just appearing on my doorstep after kissing me a year ago, you really think that's a proper response? Sincerely, Cul. CulxIroha, shoujo-ai, two-shot. For mukirome.
1. Part One

**My Christmas Wish?**

**Part One**

A glare. "C'mon, Iroha, stop being stubborn and just tell me what you want for Christmas."

A denial. "Cul, I already told you, there's nothing you can buy me! I don't want anything!"

A snort. "There has to be something you want!"

Silence. "Well, maybe there's one thing."

A bright smile. "Great. Tell me what it is, and I'll be sure to give it to you."

A whisper. "No, I can't."

Irritation. "Why not?"

Averted eyes. "You'll hate me forever if I do."

Another glare. "Come _on_, Iroha! Just tell me!"

A sigh. "Fine."

Cul's eyes sparkled with excitement. Finally, after days of pestering, she'd get an answer out of the smaller girl. Iroha's face was bright red and she fidgeted nervously, but anger shone in her eyes from Cul's harassment. Cul didn't have time to react when arms wrapped around her neck and pulled her downward, her lips meeting her friend's. She stood there, wide-eyed, unable to react, as Iroha pulled away and stared defiantly at the red-headed girl.

"The only thing I want for Christmas is you, Cul!" she proclaimed.

Cul took a step back, holding a hand in front of her mouth. She stared at Iroha, unable to believe that that had just happen. Iroha, her best friend, a _girl_, had kissed her. She shook her head gently. "This doesn't make sense," she whispered. Iroha stared back at her, that stubborn look in her eyes, refusing to be seen as a villain. Cul closed her eyes, unable to look at the girl, and pointed to the door. "Get out."

"Cul—" Iroha's stubbornness faded. Instead, she looked absolutely crushed.

"I said get out! And don't come back!"

Cul hadn't meant to yell, but she couldn't stop herself. And then, when she opened her eyes again, Iroha was gone. Cul sighed heavily and forced herself to go through the rest of the night as though nothing had happened, despite the fact that her flatmate, Lily, had obviously seen the exchange.

Iroha never came back.

. . .

"Remembering?"

Cul jumped at Lily's voice. The fire-haired girl had been staring at the fake fireplace her flatmate had given her for Christmas the preceding year, lost in her memories. That event had taken place a year ago, one week before Christmas. Iroha had been staying with Lily and Cul for the break, but she'd disappeared after Cul had ordered her out, never to be heard from again in the following year. Cul couldn't help but think about it now. Refusing to turn her gaze from the fake flame to her roommate, she mumbled, "Yeah."

"Do you miss her?" Lily wondered.

Cul whipped her head toward her friend and narrowed her eyes viciously. She knew what her friend meant to imply. "No," she snapped. "I'm not a lesbian."

Lily merely shrugged in response. The blonde had been pestering Cul about it all year, and, though Cul responded the same each time, she continued asking, as though by asking enough the answer might change. But it never did.

Cul chimed in with her friend as she sensed the next words coming. "Then why don't you get a boyfriend?"

Lily smirked at her friend's annoyed expression and said, "Touché."

"I told you, no one has interested me, and no one has taken interest in me," the red-headed girl replied impatiently.

"Iroha did," Lily stated innocently, turning and walking away before Cul could glare at her.

With a humph, Cul leaned back in the large armchair, staring at the flame of the fake fire, which produced no heat. If she did turn on the heat, she'd boil. The windows were open, letting in the tiniest chill, but any cold didn't go much beyond that. It was bright and warm here during the daytime, despite the season. Cul had never actually seen a white Christmas, despite that being her dream since she was a little kid.

A knock came on the door. Cul stared at it, now irritable after Lily's commentary, and decided against answering. The gifts she'd ordered for Lily had already come in, and, if Lily were waiting for a package herself, it was up to her to get the door herself. Cul stared as the flame flickered again and again, repeating the same pattern over and over and yet still managing to keep her interest. Lily didn't answer the door. Instead, she continued with her Christmas baking, despite the many tins of sweets already piled on the kitchen table. Cul stared at her flatmate, waiting for her to answer the door. Another knock came.

"Door," Cul stated, wondering if the blonde simply hadn't noticed.

"You get it," Lily replied. "I'm busy."

Cul scowled. "Why should I get it? What if it's my gift from you?"

"I didn't special order you a present. I made you something."

Cul eyed the tins of cookies, suddenly feeling a sickening worry for her health. "All of this? For one person?"

"Not that, moron." Another knock came. Whoever it was sure was persistent. "Now go get that. It's annoying me."

Cul knew this could go on for hours, so she reluctantly stood and headed to the door. She scowled as she threw it open, but her scowl faded as shock hit her. Iroha stared at her, her mouth open in a little _o_ as she stared up at Cul, shocked. The smaller girl had had her hand raised to knock again, and now she was frozen stiff. She looked sort of . . . scared. Cul felt guilty seeing that expression in the girl's eyes, knowing that she was the cause of it, but memories of their kiss convinced her to feel otherwise.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sharply, narrowing her eyes at the girl.

"I-I–" stuttered Iroha, staring at Cul, wide-eyed, unable to finish her sentence. Then, she stopped, and she gathered her nerve, staring up at Cul with that stubbornness she'd always possessed. "I need someplace to stay over the break, okay?"

. . .

"This is so stupid," Cul grumbled as she hung outside the bathroom, waiting for Iroha to get out of the bath.

Lily, sitting in the kitchen as she organized her tins of treats, replied, "You didn't have to let her stay."

"Yeah right, like you'd let me send her away," retorted Cul, frowning at the girl, who didn't bother to glance toward her.

"Well, having a girl push her affections on you would make you uncomfortable, being the straight woman that you are, right? I wouldn't want you to be more annoyed than usual, especially for Christmas."

"So you're saying I could've sent her home?" exclaimed Cul, annoyed. She had been certain Lily would've chewed her out if she'd sent the girl away.

Lily cast her a sidelong glance. "You still can, if you'd like."

Cul averted her gaze. "It would be too rude after I already agreed to let her stay."

Lily smiled and returned to her sweets. "Whatever helps you sleep at night, Cul. Oh, by the way, I loaned the extra futon to the neighbours since their friends were coming so you'll have to give up your bed to Iroha and sleep on the couch."

"I'm not sleeping on the couch!" exclaimed Cul.

"Then you two can share a bed. You used to, all the time, right?" Cul opened her mouth to explain what a stupid idea that was when Lily cut her off. "It doesn't matter since you're not a lesbian, right?"

Cul shut her mouth, pouting, because she knew there was nothing she could say to that without seeming guilty.

. . .

When Cul awoke a few days later, she was alone in her bed. She stretched, her jaw parting in a yawn, and peered around herself to see if Iroha was still around. She was a little disappointed when she saw that the girl was gone. Then, she heard Lily's voice in another room, followed by Iroha's giggle. Cul's mind went immediately to what was probably a very inappropriate conclusion, but it didn't stop her from jumping to her feet and running outside the room. She burst into the main area of the flat, then into the kitchen, where Iroha and Lily were busy baking. Cul's face burned red when the two turned curiously to look at her.

"What's the rush, Cul?" Lily questioned.

Iroha smiled at Cul, who frowned in return as the girl swept toward her. Cul panicked when Iroha's arms reached up toward her, too fast to be pushed away. She braced herself and squeezed her eyes shut. She felt something against her head, and then nothing. She opened her eyes when Iroha giggled.

"I'm not some weird pervert or something, Cul," she stated. "I'm not going to force you to accept how I feel."

Cul simply scowled and looked away. Lily would probably assume that she was disappointed, which most definitely wasn't true. She was glad that Iroha had simply been placing a Santa hat on her head, obviously.

"I need peanut butter," Lily announced.

"What in the world are you making?" Cul wondered, raising an eyebrow at her flatmate as she tried to think of some Christmas-related treat that required peanut butter.

Her flatmate returned the same raised eyebrow to Cul. "Peanut butter cookies?"

Cul's face burned bright red as Iroha laughed. "Oh."

Cul drew back as Lily dotted the redhead's nose with flower, smiling sweetly at the irritated girl. "Go get some for me. And take Iroha."

"No way," Cul replied curtly, wiping the flour off her nose disdainfully.

Lily smiled at her for a moment longer before Cul submitted and exited the flat with Iroha following swiftly behind. Cul knew what the consequences would be if she didn't do as Lily asked.

Cul and Iroha walked the streets in silence for quite a while. Cul sighed as she gazed at the Christmas trees in windows, wishing it would snow, just once, for Christmas. But it never snowed here, so that obviously wouldn't happen.

"I'm sorry about last year."

Cul jumped. She'd forgotten for moment that Iroha was there. She looked down at the girl, who gazed up at her expectantly. Cul refused to give her a reply, so Iroha tried again.

"It wasn't fair of me to do that. I probably ruined your Christmas. I know a lot of people really hate people like me."

Cul glared at the girl. "Idiot," she retorted, much to Iroha's surprise. "I don't care if you're a lesbian. The only thing that ruined my Christmas was that you weren't there."

Iroha smiled and turned her gaze up to the sky. "I wish I could make it snow for you, to show you how sorry I am."

Cul rolled her eyes. "That's impossible, so don't be an idiot."

Iroha watched Cul from the corner of her eye. "Does being with me make you uncomfortable?"

Cul decided to be honest. "I guess, kind of."

Iroha smiled morosely. "I'm sorry it was you I had to fall in love with."

"I'm sorry that I'm not a lesbian," Cul replied, earning curious looks from people they passed by, which only made her go more red. What did they care whether or not she was gay? Idiots.

Iroha looked uncertain for a moment, then she bravely asked, "Is it alright if I keep being in love with you?"

Cul was thoroughly embarrassed by the question, and she mumbled, "Well, it's not like you can help it, right?"

Iroha smiled. "I guess not."

They fell into silence after that, walking quietly through the early-morning streets as people gentle awoke to see what the morning had brought. Two weeks left till Christmas. Still a long way to go. Still a chance of snow. Well, not really, but it was nice to dream.

Cul watched the cheerful girl by her side and thought, _You know what, Iroha? I think it would make me sad if you weren't in love with me anymore._

**Author's Note: This is a two-shot. Part two is up tomorrow. This was meant to go up yesterday but I forgot. Fail. Anyway, review s-v-p!**


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

"I know what you're trying to do," Cul hissed, gripping Lily by the front of the girl's shirt as she pulled her aside.

Lily smirked at the accusatory glare. "I have no idea what you mean," she stated innocently.

"Then what, pray tell, is your reasoning for _that_?"

Lily didn't have to look to where Cul pointed to know she was referencing Iroha's Santa outfit, which Lily had bought at a rather questionable shop. "It's cute," she replied.

"And there wasn't one that _wasn't_ so short?"

"There shouldn't be a problem, Cul," Lily replied, smiling at her flatmate's discomfort. "She's another girl, after all."

"That doesn't stop you from trying to make me into some kind of pervert!" Cul cried.

"What?" Iroha called from the tree, concerned by the yelling she'd heard.

"Nothing!" Cul replied quickly. Then, she turned back to her flatmate and hissed, "I'm not going to fall in love with her, okay? So give it up."

"Are you sure you're not already in love with her?" Lily wondered with a sly smile.

Cul scowled. "I'm sure. I'm not interested in dating a girl."

"Well then, listen to the message on the answering machine," Lily replied, a little disappointed. She let out a sigh and pouted. "Now let me go."

Cul searched her flatmate's gaze in an attempt to figure out what it was the blonde was plotting, but Lily's gaze revealed none of her secrets. With a hiss of annoyance, Cul released the girl and stormed back toward the Christmas tree, where Iroha was on the tips of her toes, attempting to reach up and place an ornament on the tree. Cul's face bloomed a dark crimson when she noticed a flash of pale blue peeking out from underneath Iroha's one-piece Santa dress with its much-too-short skirt. Cul stumbled backward, too taken aback to react properly. She struggled to stop herself from falling as she backed into the coffee table. She yelped as she accidentally crashed a glass ornament from the table onto the ground, her eyes still locked just below the hem of Iroha's skirt. The ornament fell apart into two large hunks, but the sound of its fall was muffled by the carpet.

"What's wrong, Cul?" Iroha wondered curiously, having sensed the girl behind her. She looked back curiously, lowering herself properly onto the ground, making it so that her panties were no longer visible.

"N-nothing!" Cul insisted, vigorously waving her arms in front of her in a negatory fashion.

Iroha tilted her head to the side, confused. "Did you trip?"

"Y-yeah," Cul murmured, looking away. That was a better excuse than she could've thought of at the time.

"Oh, okay." Iroha smiled before returning to reaching up the tree, unknowingly pulling her dress up with her. Cul quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks burning bright red.

"Cul, dearest, what are you doing on the ground?" Lily laughed as she entered the room. While Iroha had her back turned, Lily slunk to the ground behind Cul and wrapped her arms around the redhead. Then, she whispered silkily into her ear, "Lovely view, isn't it? I can't blame you for trying to get a better angle."

"Shut up, you moron!" Cul exclaimed, jumping up to her feet and glaring down at Lily. "I'm leaving!"

"Did you see the message on the answering machine?" Lily asked as Cul swung the door open.

"No, and I don't care," Cul replied before leaving, slamming the door shut behind her. After exiting the building, she slumped down onto a bench and dropped her face into her hands, running her fingers through her hair. She couldn't get that image of Iroha out of her mind, no matter how hard she tried. "Dammit," she muttered, feeling tears forming in her eyes at the confusion in her heart.

. . .

"Cul!"

Cul drew in a short breath before glaring back at Iroha, who was running after her as she walked down the street. She stopped and waited for the girl to catch up, feeling people's gazes on her. Iroha stopped before her and doubled over, panting.

"What's up, Iroha?" Cul wondered. "You're gonna kill yourself, running around like that."

"I need to pick up some groceries for Lily, but I, uh, I'm kind of lost," she said bashfully, sticking her tongue out.

Cul sighed and let her eyes fall from Iroha's gaze, only to go bright red and quickly look upward again. "Iroha, why did you wear that outside of the house?"

"Huh?" Iroha wondered, looking down at her Santa outfit. "Why wouldn't I wear it outside of the house? It's cute, isn't it?"

Cul averted her gaze and removed the sweater she'd tied around her waist, tying it around Iroha's waist instead. "That's too revealing to wear in public," she mumbled, embarrassed. "Everyone can see up your skirt when you run."

"W-w-what?" Iroha exclaimed, mortified, as her face turned red. She tugged down on the hem of the dress and cried, "How embarrassing! I can't believe it!"

"Whatever, let's just go," Cul mumbled. She wasn't paying much attention when she grabbed Iroha's hand to tow her along, so she didn't notice the redness furthering in Iroha's cheeks or the fond smile that played on the girl's lips as she followed along.

. . .

"Where's Iroha?" Cul wondered as she wandered out of her bedroom the next afternoon. Lily was busy putting the finishing touches on a batch of cookies, and Iroha was nowhere to be seen.

"She went out," Lily replied. "Did you listen to the message yet?"

"No, and I'm not going to," Cul replied irritably. She glanced at the answering machine and stated, "I'm going out."

"To find Iroha?" Lily wondered innocently.

"No, to get away from you," Cul retorted, glaring at her flatmate, who merely shrugged in response as Cul left the flat.

She saw Iroha immediately and, for some reason she couldn't comprehend, her first instinct was to hide. She peered around the Christmas tree she'd taken shelter behind and saw Iroha talking to a white-haired boy.

"Look, I really wanted to ask you this last year but I was never brave enough, so can you please hear me out?" the boy was asking her. Cul scowled. Why was he bothering Iroha?

Iroha smiled kindly in response. "Sure, why not?" she wondered.

"Well, I've always thought that you were really cute and funny and I was wondering if, maybe, you'd consider going out with me," he requested, looking down at his feet nervously.

Cul felt her heart stop. For a moment, she thought she might throw up. She suddenly felt so sick and her head and heart were pounding. She watched the scene eagerly, desperately needing to see the conclusion.

"I'm already in love with someone else," Iroha informed him with a smile. "I'm sorry."

The boy looked crushed. Cul felt for him. Poor boy. "Oh," he murmured. "I see. Well, at least I tried."

"I know there's someone else out there who'll want to date you," Iroha consoled. "You were very kind to me last year, when you let me stay with you."

Cul felt her blood run cold. Iroha had stayed with this boy? After Cul had kicked her out? Cul was immediately consumed by grief as realization struck. _Oh, Iroha. How can you not be in love with him? How can you still be in love with me, after what I did to you?_

Cul watched as Iroha continued walking down the street and began to follow her. She'd casually go up to her, pretending not to have seen anything, and everything would be alright. Of course, things never turned out as planned. Iroha ducked into a store, one filled with cute things that Cul would never come within a mile of by her own free will. Cul cursed and leaned against the wall of the store, waiting for the girl to come out.

"Hey, Cul!"

Cul looked up, startled to hear the voice of her coworker, who was running toward her.

"Heya, Gakupo," she said. "What's up?"

"Did you get my message?" he wondered.

Cul tilted her head to the side curiously. "What message?"

The energetic boy suddenly looked dejected, slowing to a stop before her. "The one I left on your answering machine."

Cul blushed, embarrassed. Oops. "Sorry, I've been kind of busy so I guess checking the answering machine slipped my mind," she lied.

"That's fine. I'm glad I get to tell you in person, instead," he said. He took a deep breath, which suddenly made Cul nervous. He looked so serious. Then, staring her straight in the eye, he stated, "I broke up with Luka."

He continued to stare at her. Cul stared at him, not seeing how this was relevant to her. She forced out a half-hearted, "That's too bad."

"Ugh, you sure are an airhead sometimes, Cul," he groaned, hitting his palm against his forehead. "What I'm trying to say is that I like you back, and I'd really like to go out with you on Christmas!"

Cul froze, staring at him, as his words ran over her. Memories she'd pushed away returned. The mortification when he'd turned her down when she'd confessed, the horror when he'd admitted to everyone that he and Luka were in a relationship, Iroha's refusal to discuss that topic with her before Cul had known that she liked her. Cul had tried not to remember it, any of it. It was too embarrassing. She'd lost her cool, once, and let herself be honest, only to be crushed.

And now, he was really willing to go out with her?

. . .

"Merry Christmas!" Iroha sang, shaking Cul in bed as the redhead groaned. "C'mon, Cul, wake up!"

"It's still dark out," Cul mumbled, hiding her head under a pillow. "Get up yourself."

"Don't you have a date to go to, goof?" Iroha laughed. "You should be getting up and getting ready!"

"What are you talking about?" Cul mumbled.

"I heard the message on the answering machine, you fox," Iroha giggled, smiling coyly. "Come on, get up and get ready for your date!"

Cul could only think of one way to silence the girl. She looked up at the pinkette and wondered harshly, "Would that really make you happy?"

The smaller girl was dumbfounded for a moment, but she shook it off and said, "I wish I could make it snow for your date. Wouldn't that be romantic?"

"I don't have a date with him, you moron," Cul said into the pillow. For a moment, she was met with silence. Then, Iroha spoke again.

"What?"

The redhead peeked out of the pillow to glare at Iroha. "I turned him down. I didn't want to go out with him. I already had a date, anyway."

"Then you have to get up anyway, silly," Iroha giggled, though even Cul couldn't miss the pain in her eyes.

"We'll go out later," Cul mumbled, burying her face back into the pillow.

"That's rude to him, though!" Iroha insisted.

"It's not a him, idiot," Cul snapped, seeing that she wasn't going to get any sleep no matter what she did and sitting up in the bed to stare angrily at Iroha. "It's you."

Iroha's mouth opened a little, gaping in shock. Then, she stuttered, "M-me?"

Cul sighed and stared the girl in the eye, feeling an uncomfortable stutter in her heart at the girl's adorably confused expression. "Yesterday, I realized that I didn't want to go on a date with someone else," she explained, remaining absolutely serious. "I don't know if I'm a lesbian or not, but I'd like to go on at least one date with you before I can properly reject or accept you, okay?"

Iroha's eyes shone with joy, sparkling with the beginning of tears. "Really?" she wondered, unable to believe what she'd heard.

"Really." Cul sighed and glanced out the window. "If only there were snow. Like you said, that would make it more romantic."

Iroha giggled, too ecstatic to control herself as she wrapped her arms around the redhead. She thought her heart might stop as Cul's arms wrapped around her in return.

"I don't need snow to be in love."

**Author's Note: Feel free to decide who said the last line for yourself. Panty shots, really? Wow, I think anime had made a pervert out of me. Anyway, requested pairing for a Christmas story without snow by mukirome! Hope you liked it! Merry Christmas, people!**


End file.
